Rocky Semmes ’79

1 Week Ago

Uncertainty Raised by Russian Interference

Yevgeny Prigozhin, a once influential Russian figure, is on record for declaring in 2022 that “we have interfered [in U.S. elections], we are interfering, and we will continue to interfere.” The founder of Russia’s mercenary Wagner Group, he was linked to the Internet Research Agency, described as a “troll factory” of Russian influence operations. It might only be coincidence, but Mike Flynn, serving as national security adviser during the current administration’s first term, was forced to resign for lying about his contact with Russian operatives.

It might also be only coincidence that the Oval Office in 2017 hosted two major Russian dignitaries (Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Ambassador Sergey Kislyak) the day after the firing of James Comey, director of the FBI. The meeting (from which U.S. media were barred) was only confirmed by photos from Russian government agencies. Mr. Comey had been overseeing an investigation into Russian meddling in the U.S. elections, and possible ties between the Republican campaign and Russia.

Allan Demaree ’58, writing a self-righteously riled and resentful response to “Alumni in the Nation’s Resistance” (May issue), takes issue with that article and with PAW itself. He describes those critical of the current administration as “... foes of a democratically elected government.” PAW, to its credit, published letters pro and con toward “Alumni in the Nation’s Resistance.”

Socrates described wisdom as knowing what you don’t know. Regarding the issue of the current government being perfectly and purely “democratically elected,” well, perhaps there the jury is still out. The jury is unimpeachably in (so to speak) and has rendered a verdict, but only in regard to the Oval Office issues of sexual offense and 34 felonies. This much we know for certain.

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